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My Cedar Beams Teardrop Trailer

Step 1: Cedar Beam Teardrop Trailer

Here is the start to a part time year and a half project building a custom cedar beam teardrop trailer. The first step was drawing up a frame using sketup and sending it to a buddy to get built out of 2" X 4" aluminum tube.

Step 2: Floor and Template for the Beams

I framed out the floor using 2x6 lumber so i would have some room for insulation in the floor and extra storage. I then too a sheet of plywood and made a template to make the cedar beam.

Step 3: Beam Bending

The beam started by cutting a bunch of cedar 4x4 posts down to 3 1/4" by about 3/16 thick by 8' long. It took about 6 - 4x4 posts to get enough material to make the beam. I then belt sanded both sides of each 3/16" pieces. Then i use lots of exterior grade gorilla glue, glueing each piece on top of the next till the beam was 3" thick.

Step 4:

Here is a picture of me fitting the beam onto the floor which took some belt sanding and a couple long lag bolt that are screwed in from the inside of the frame.

Step 5:

After both beams were installed i framed some walls from the floor up to the underside of the beam. And then between the beams to create the roofline. As you can see i managed to get some R-5 instulation into the walls and ceiling as well. Before the insulation was installed i ran wiring for my fan/ lights and some 12V lighter plug ins.

Step 6:

Here you can see the mostly finished beam with the insulated walls.

Step 7:

I then siliconed on a 5'x10' piece of .064" aluminum to use as siding. I managed to use a oscillating tool to cut into the underside of the beam so the aluminum would slide right into the underside of the beam. It was a bit of a trial and error process. I then install the prefab door i had order along with the exterior light.

Step 8:

I then used some checker plate for a rock guard on the front of the trailer and the same .064" aluminum for the roof.

Step 9:

I don't have any pictures of the axle or tire install. But the axle was custom ordered from a local torsion axle shop. It then bolted through the aluminum frame with some grade 8 bolts.

Step 10:

I then installed a starview window in the ceiling and a tri fold matress that i found online that folds into a couch and into a bed.

Step 11:

The rear hatch door was a bit of a pain to build and still doesn't quite fit right, but it is weather tight. I then built a basic kitchenette with some drawers and cabinets. Pretty basic, but is all i need.

Step 12:

Have been using the trailer for the past year and have been loving it. It was quite the project but looking back on it was alot of fun and alot of couch sitting engineering on how it was going to go together. Hope this inspires someone to go build something as i know this won't be my last project.